Trust
by J-Six
Summary: Zelgadis encounters someone claiming to be from his past who gives him an offer he can't refuse.


Author's Notes:

Ok, this is going to be my first Slayers fic after having been a fan for years. Firstly, it may be a long time between updates because I'm working on multiple fics and there's other things going on in my life. I'm sorry if I leave people waiting.

Second thing I want to say is that this story will deal trad pairings and non-trad pairings. Don't say I didn't warn you. Also I'm not writing this story to cater to the biggest fans of all characters. I'm not trying to bash any characters though, this is just the way I put together the story. Please keep an open mind.

As for background, this story takes place some time after Try and is based on the tv show storyline. I think that's all you need to know. Please enjoy. Any feedback would be great too. Thank you for reading.

Trust

Chapter 1 – The Chimera

"How about these, Miss Lina?" Amelia placed the ear-ring with the tiny, deep blue sapphire over the bottom of her ear lobe to model it for Lina.

"Those look really cute on you, Amelia. And I think Zel would like them to." Lina winked at her, which elicited a bright blush from Amelia.

"I'll buy them!" Amelia said with no small trace of giddiness. She extracted her seal of the Sailune Royal Family from some undisclosed location on her person. "I just hope daddy doesn't get too mad about me over-drawing my allowance account again."

Mean while Zelgadis and Gourry were some distance away in the bazaar examining the contents of a tent which contained a few hundred shiny swords and knives of varying shapes and sizes on display for sale.

"How about this one?" From behind his stand the merchant pulled out a large sword with a shining, crescent shaped blade attached to a gold handle that was encrusted with glimmering, red stones. "I think it suits a handsome, traveling swordsman like yourself quite well. As you can tell the craftsmanship is of the highest caliber. The steel itself was forged from iron and precious metals mined from the farthest mountains of the Outer World. And from what I have heard, this design is especially popular with the ladies. Since you seem like a bright, young man I'm willing to overstep the bargaining process and give you a 30 percent discount up front."

"No, what I'm looking for is more of a sword with a blade made out of light."

"A what?"

"Yeah, a blade of light. One that is all flashy and yellow and stuff. A sword where you can pull it out and yell, 'Light come forth," so you can slice monsters in half. You know, a sword of light. Also now that I think about it, maybe a sword of lightning would work too."

"Well now that you mention it, many years ago when I was even younger than you, an old sword smith in my village told me a story of a hero who brandished a sword of light like you described to slay a terrible monster. According to the legend, there was only one supposed sword of light to be in existence. And from what is said, it has since become lost in the sands of time, never to be seen by human eyes again."

"Do you have a second one in stock?" The merchant just stared at him like he was a lunatic.

Zelgadis finished examining the swords and knives, finding nothing of interest. He then walked across the street some distance moving through the crowd to a tent that contained innumerous books and manuscripts.

"May I assist you sir?" The merchant asked, excited at the prospect of another sale. He however, was taken a back when he got a better look at Zelgadis's odd appearance, which still wasn't masked much the cloth he used to cover his face. This reaction annoyed Zelgadis, yet he maintained his composure.

"I'm looking for unusual or powerful spells."

"Try the second shelf to your left," the stand-keeper nervously whimpered, before he went to hide behind a curtain, hoping he would leave soon.

Zelgadis began flipping through one of the books, already displeased that the spells contained within were rather common.

As he started to flip through a second book, Zelgadis heard a voice from over his shoulder, "Pardon me, sir. Would you mind removing your veil?"

Zelgadis turned around to see an old man with snow white hair and beard. His wrinkled skin and tired eyes told of a long and weary life, one of which was no doubt nearing its end.

"Excuse me?" The annoyance in Zelgadis's voice was more than overt.

"Yes, the veil. Could you remove it? I would like to get a better look at you," the old man insisted.

Zelgadis ripped it right off his face, tearing the fabric. The blue skin and stone outcroppings of his face were revealed. "There, you happy," he growled.

The old man continued examining Zelgadis curiously. "Yes, quite. Even after almost 20 years, and even with that disguise, the resemblance was uncanny. You are undeniably Zelgadis Graywords."

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Zelgadis asked extremely suspiciously.

"Perhaps we could speak where we have more privacy. Follow me." The old man walked from out of the tent to a lightly wooded area behind it. Zelgadis reluctantly followed him. Once at a reasonable enough distance to be out of earshot of the people at the bazaar, the old man stopped and turned to face him again. Zelgadis had to admit to himself that this man looked somehow oddly familiar.

Finally he continued, "My name is Vazul. I don't know if you remember me. The last time I saw you, you were about 3 feet tall." The old man placed his hand over the ground to demonstrate the height.

"You're saying you knew me as a child?"

"Yes, I did. I'm a sorcerer, now retired. I can also say I was regrettably once the assistant of your infamous grand-father."

Zelgadis's eyes got big. "You don't mean Rezo?"

"Yes. Rezo the Red Priest. I used to feel such honor serving under who I felt at the time was such a great man. I was truly inspired by his use of magic to commit such noble and charitable acts for the betterment of mankind. Only later did I realize the extent of my ignorance. Ever having been associated with that creature has been my life's greatest regret. It pains me greatly to see that the rumors about your fate are true."

"What rumors?"

"That he transformed you into a chimera. I'm ashamed to admit I assisted Rezo in the research that lead to the development of that specific field of black magic. After I got wind of the fact that Rezo was extending the research from experimentation on animals to humans, I fled out of bad conscience and disgust. I was barely able to escape with my life."

With lightning fast reflexes, Zelgadis unsheathed his sword and the pointed tip of the blade swung around to where it stopped just a fraction of a centimeter from the man's jugular vein. "Why should I have any reason to believe you? Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you right here."

The man didn't even flinch and maintained the exact same position and expression he had before. "If you wish to kill me, you can go ahead. I have lived far longer than the sins I have committed in this world have justified. However, I would rather help reverse the harm to you which I helped commit."

Zelgadis kept the blade dangerously close to his neck. "You're saying you know how to reverse it?"

"Yes. While I was not able to escape with any manuscripts detailing the spell, it is still clearly recorded in my memory."

"You still have done nothing to prove that you are who you say you are."

"I didn't take much evidence of my involvement with Rezo with me into my exile, but I do have one thing on me." The old man reached into one of the pockets of his robe, and extracted a small, rectangle piece of paper.

Zelgadis removed the blade from his neck, took the paper from the man's hand, and examined it. It was a frayed, black and white photograph of an attractive woman with long, dark hair sitting on a chair with a young boy on her lap. The boy had familiar piercing eyes and a big head of black hair that outlined a shape most similar to that of a very wide and curved bell.

"Mother…" Zelgadis said shocked, his dusty memories of her coming back from the depths of his mind.

"I have to admit I was quite taken by her, to the point I still keep that photograph on me. She was a wonderful woman. I also heard about her supposed accident. My only regret of fleeing was that I was not present to prevent what ever fate befell her."

"So you say you will help turn me back into a human, but that can't be all there is to it."

"There is one thing. I will only help change you from a chimera back into a man under one condition."

"And that is?"

"You must not tell any one or any thing that I know this information. I'm afraid of the potential of the knowledge contained in my mind. In the wrong hands it could be used to commit horrible acts of evil. While I would not give up these spells willingly, there are methods to extract them from me. You must also come alone. These are my terms. If you do not follow them, I will not help you."

Amelia, who wanted to talk to Zelgadis and see if he would notice the new ear-rings she was now wearing, wondered around through the crowded bazaar looking for him. Eventually, she spotted a tent with a sign that read "Books of Magic." She instantly deduced that's where he was most likely to be found. As she walked towards it, she however spotted two figures off in the far distance beyond the tent from the corner of her eye.

She watched the scene between Zelgadis and the old man unfold from a distance. She had never seen this kind of look come over Zelgadis before, and she honestly found it very disturbing. She could not hear the words being exchanged, but she was able to read the old man's lips as he uttered the word, "twelve." Zelgadis then shook his head and walked away.

"Mr. Zelgadis?"

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It was now late at night and dark. The sky was cloudy, so it had been an especially dark night. Barely any moon-light shown in through the window into Zelgadis's room at the inn.

Zelgadis stood up from the chair he had been patiently sitting at contemplating for hours. He performed the incantation for a lighting spell, and a brightly glowing orb rose up from his hand stopping near the ceiling, bathing the entire room in bright light.

He quickly grabbed his cloak and cape from a hook on the wall. He pulled it over his shoulders, tied the drawstrings in a knot through the ruby pendant below his neck, and pulled the hood over the pointy wire hair of his head. However, he subsequently changed his mind, and pulled the hood back down. He walked over to where his sheathed sword was leaning against the wall below the window, and attached it to his belt.

Ready, he went for the door. When he opened it he was confronted by a very concerned looking Amelia.

"Mr. Zelgadis, where are you going?"

"I'm just going out for a walk," he said barely making eye-contact with her.

He turned to leave, but Amelia moved to stand in his way. "I don't believe you, Mr. Zelgadis. This is about that man, who talked to you earlier today, isn't it?"

"That's none of your business."

Amelia looked hurt. "Why? Don't you trust me? I mean we've been friends for so long, you think you could tell me with something like that."

"Amelia, listen… It's not like that... Its not that I don't trust you, it's just that I can't. I'm sorry."

"Why can't you?" Amelia thought for a second before the answer hit her. "Did he say he has your cure?" Zelgadis didn't respond. "I can't believe you Mr. Zelgadis. I thought you were smarter than that. This is too easy. Don't you think this could be a trap?"

"I've considered that possibility, and I'm willing to take the risk."

"I don't understand why you even need to find a cure. Why does what you look like even matter at all? That's not what matters. It's who you are and what's inside that counts. I don't care what you look like. I never will."

Zelgadis was slightly taken a back by Amelia's words and his expression softened. "Amelia, I'm glad you feel that way. That means a lot to me. Really, it does…." Zelgadis's expression however suddenly regained its coldness. "But this is just something I have to do…. Something I have to do for myself."

"At least let me, Ms. Lina, or Mr. Gourry come with you, just to be safe."

"I'm sorry, Amelia, but I have to do this alone." He brushed her aside and walked past her.

"Doesn't what I feel matter at all?" She called out at him across the hall.

"You just don't understand." He opened the door and walked into the night.

knock, knock, knock

"Whoever that is, better have a good explanation for interrupting my beauty sleep, or I'm going to fireball their face!"

Lina almost yanked the door of its hinges and was met by a disheveled Amelia, with two continuous streams of tears rolling down here cheeks.

The pissed off expression on Lina's face evaporated into one of concern. "Amelia, what's wrong?"

To Be Continued


End file.
